Liverpool Football Club has officially announced the signing of French striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. The 23-year-old joins the Reds in a deal worth £79 million, consisting of a £69 million initial fee plus £10 million in add-ons. Ekitike has signed a six-year contract with the club.

Ekitike's move to Anfield comes after a successful season-and-a-half with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he scored 26 goals in 64 appearances and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2024-25. Before joining Frankfurt, Ekitike played for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade de Reims in his native France.

The young striker had a stellar attacking output for Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2024-25 season, where he scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions. In the Bundesliga alone, he contributed 23 goals, helping his team finish third in the league. Ekitike's impressive form earned him a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season alongside his new Liverpool teammate Florian Wirtz. He also topped the list for the most shots taken in the league with 115 attempts.

Ekitike is Liverpool's fifth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Florian Wirtz. This significant investment in new talent demonstrates Liverpool's ambition to compete for all trophies this season. With these additions, Liverpool's summer spending has now reached nearly £300 million, making them the Premier League's biggest spenders this summer.

The transfer was subject to international clearance, but Ekitike has already completed his medical and agreed to personal terms with Liverpool. He is expected to join his new teammates in Hong Kong for their pre-season tour of Asia later this week.

Prior to Liverpool's successful pursuit, Newcastle United had also expressed interest in Ekitike, but their offer was rejected. Reports suggest that Eintracht Frankfurt was not pleased with Newcastle's approach, as they had not agreed to personal terms with Ekitike before making a bid.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is excited about the arrival of Ekitike, believing he has the potential to become one of the best forwards in the world. Ekitike's versatility, pace, power, and clinical finishing ability will provide Slot with more options in attack. The signing of Ekitike could also lead to some outgoings, with Luis Diaz being linked with a move to Bayern Munich.